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I should note that there's not too much new information in this, just serves as another data-point going forward. From what I remember reading Missouri seems to be the most internally-positive about going the Big 10.

Mizzou is a decent sports school, and the football team should win nine out of ten against them once it gets back to an elite level. Playing them in basketball is a nice visual, too; everybody wears a block M.

and the football team should win nine out of ten against them once it gets back to an elite level.

So that's where the term "Michigan arrogance" comes from. Missouri is no slouch.

Missouri is my first choice to enter the conference, aside from Notre Dame of course. They would add another dimension to the conference in football and basketball with their spread offense in football and their "40 minutes of Hell" offense in basketball. THe conference would actually expand in size geographically (adding Pitt would not) and Missouri has good programs in footbal and basketball as opposed to Syracuse or Rutgers. Unless Maryland or some other school comes out of nowhere, I'd like Missouri to enter the conference.

Granted, I am totally biased and absolutely hate the University of Missouri; however, I do not understand why the B10 would consider them for inclusion. Here is Missouri in a nutshell:
No athletic tradition whatsoever except for the dubious reputation of being considered the best basketball program never to reach the Final Four;
Sub-par academics and unimpressive research endowment;
No high profile TV markets (before St. Louis is pouted out as a key market, recognize that St. Louis splits its market in about 4 ways: 1) Missouri; 2) Illini; 3) Jayhawks; and, 4) all the other schools that transplants to the city graduated from);
Other than a relatively recent rivalry with Illinois, Missouri has no history with the B10...

I just don't understand. Simply because Missouri wants to join the B10 does not mean they should!!! I really hope the conference identifies more strategic locations for expansion: east.

I appreciate a lot of what you are saying. I am. . . ambivalent about Mizzou joining the Big 10, honestly. I guess Pitt makes more sense, but personally, I'd love to have Nebraska. That being said, one quibble with your response. I grew up in the St. Louis television market as an Illinois fan (don't worry- I went to U of M; my whole family went to Illinois and my friends from home are big fans). I must disagree re: the St. Louis tv market. It is about 75% Mizzou coverage- that is the main college they cover. They also keep up with St. Louis University basketball, and Illinois as well, but not very much. (I was perpetually frustrated by the lack of U of I coverage). For example, KMOX (50,000 watt superstation like WJR in Detroit) broadcasts all Mizzou football games, etc. And I would definitely not agree that it is a Kansas market. There may be Kansas alums there, but the only time KU gets an pub is when they're playing Missouri, and that is because they are rivals. Also, Mizzou has a very good journalism school. (I know- that's minor, really: Ohio U has a good j-school, too, and I don't consider them to be a very good academic school)

Also, I don't know if I would characterize the U of I-Mizzou rivalry as "relatively recent." At least in basketball, it has been a rivalry as long as I can remember, and both schools are more basketball schools than football schools. The football game between the two is more recent, though.

I too grew up in StL and share your annoyance regarding the pub that Mizzou got. However, as a whole, I found the city pretty well divided. When I lived out in the suburbs (Chesterfied/Town and Country/Wildwood), Mizzou was definitely the favorite team. However, when I moved down to Clayton/U.City/and closer to the city, the demographics of fanhood changed drastically. Illinois/KU and several other schools really dominated.

Also, I totally agree that Mizzou has a great Journalism School. That's really fantastic - but that is it!!! That is literally the only reputable program that Mizzou has - and, no offense to the journalists out there, it's not exactly a major money maker. Journalism simply does not garner the type of research grants that would make Mizzou an academically attractive B10 candidate. Their colleges of Medicine, Law, Business, Engineering, Economics, etc. are not highly ranked and would definitely be towards the bottom end of the B10.

The reality of this situation is that Mizzou would benefit 100% from joining the B10...The B10, however, would not greatly benefit. Why not find a school where there is a mutual benefit and better fit?

Mizzou was like 70 a couple years ago. I think they have fluctuated a ton, and score better in non-usnews rankings. They also have a top 2 journalism school and the foundation for future academic growth.

Yes, if we are weighting academics, I honestly think that the only possibilities are ND (I know, I know) and Pitt. I just wish...I don't know. Pitt was located where Mizzou/Nebraska are. I guess I just wish their football was stronger. I know- it isn't terrible, and they have been around a long time, etc, and their hoops team has been strong for the past 10 years, etc. It also might just be my own biases from where I grew up, and where I live now (Chicago) which is closer to the center/west of the B10 footprint. And I grew up near St. Louis, which is the southern tip of B10 country as far as the footprint is concerned.

Also, I totally agree on the "one good program" meme. That's why I cited Ohio University in my original comment. I completely agree.

I guess that, basically, for a mix of academics, sports, tradition, and footprint, Pitt is the most likely school.

Also, in response to the poster above who also is from the STL area- I agree with you that folks who live in the city are fans of varying teams, with Kansas getting a big chunk. I was more focused on the media coverage in the area than the fans/alums, but I certainly see your point, and it is a valid one.

So to compare ND to NW is um.... wrong. ND is NOT a good grad school. They are ONLY good at undergrad. They are NOT a public research institution and thus do not match the "IDEAL" candidate for a Big Ten school.

Ehh, I don't really agree with that. Northwestern has a pretty good journalism and theatre school, while ND does not. Kellogg (grad) blows Mendoza out of the water, and Northwestern's law program is consistently ten to fifteen spots ahead of ND's.

If anything, Notre Dame is Northwestern without the programs and with the arrogance.

I think you're right about the demographics as you shift to downtown/closer to the city, because I think a lot of the people that live there trend toward younger, college-educated types who root for their alma mater. The kinds of younger, upwardly mobile alumni in professional industries. For example, most of the friends of mine (late 20's-early 30's) who live in St. Louis are actually Illini fans or alums. I think this isn't unlike the situation in a lot of cities. At least in Chicago, I know, in the city in the neighborhoods populated by 20 and 30something alums, there are all types of strong fan bases representing the entire Big 10 and a lot of other schools from the south and east. Granted, Chicago is much larger and more of a city that people move to from all over, but St. Louis is a bit similar, if on a smaller, more regional (midwestern) scale.

Maryland is about as far from Ann Arbor as Missouri. They might not have great tradition, but better academics than Mizzou and Pitt, a constantly solid basketball team, and potential for a good football team. It would expand the Big Tens footprint, and Maryland as a state produces a lot more D1 recruits than Missouri.

That being said, I don't see Maryland wanting to leave the ACC for its basketball team...

While that's true they aren't a Mid-Western school and don't fit the profile of the Big Ten. PSU is pushing it but since they aren't really THAT far east and they are out in the middle of no where they fit in that regard (i.e. more of a midwestern mentality than that of an eastern mentality). Let the teams on the coast stick with the coast - I don't want some coastal team invading the pride and tradition of the Mid-West.